On Jan. 21, I’ll be standing in Kennebunk in support of women’s rights. One of the most pressing needs of women is affordable reproductive health care. Supporting Planned Parenthood allows many low-income women to receive such services as cancer screenings, birth control information, prenatal care and safe, legal abortions.

In the workplace, women should be given equal pay for equal work and should be promoted to higher positions at the same rate as their male co-workers. Many women work full time and also bear much of the responsibility for running the household and caring for their children (and sometimes their aging parents). Paid maternity leave and quality, affordable child care should be a given.

Women should experience safe environments at work, at home and in the community. They should be protected from sexual harassment and assault, domestic violence and violence in general.

Society needs to stop shaming victims of rape and assault and focus blame on the perpetrators. Far too often, lenient sentences amount to little more than a slap on the wrist. Society perpetuates the “boys will be boys” mentality, and men are not held accountable for their abusive behavior.

Women are strong, smart, hardworking, creative, nurturing and compassionate. They have a great deal to offer society. Let’s enable them to reach their highest potential by giving them equal rights, respect and support.

Claire Unsinn

Kennebunk

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